Investors may buy put options when they are concerned that the stock market will fall. That's because a put—which grants the right to sell an underlying asset at a fixed price through a predetermined time frame—will typically increase in value when the price of its underlying asset goes down.

When should you buy a put option?

Traders buy a put option to magnify the profit from a stock's decline. For a small upfront cost, a trader can profit from stock prices below the strike price until the option expires. By buying a put, you usually expect the stock price to fall before the option expires.

How far out should you buy puts?

It's wise to buy options with 30 more days until expiration than you expect to be in the trade, to mitigate the loss of value.